4 ms·

Who on earth thinks there’s any probability to the place you want to work, the friends you want to talk to, and the doctor you trust being within walking distan

Who on earth thinks there’s any probability to the place you want to work, the friends you want to talk to, and the doctor you trust being within walking distance to your home, among all the other things? It sounds like an unbelievably narcissistic or naive idea - that all the things you need wound somehow be just a few steps away because you’re that important. I mean, this is like a very childish thought. What counteracts it? Reality.

_hzw 3y ago
I live in a small college town in Germany. My workplace is a 15- to 20-minute uphill walk away, my family doctor is in the building next to where I live, and all my friends are within a 40-minute walking distance. The situation was almost the same when I lived in China, in a smaller town two hours' drive from Guangzhou. I've walked my whole life and don't even know how to drive. I've almost taken for granted that one should be able to walk to any place that is important to them; perhaps it's not that universal elsewhere?
mjmsmith 3y ago
You seem strangely angry about a pleasant idea.
dopidopHN 3y ago
Good city planning is a thing.
tmnvix 3y ago
Not my reality. I've lived in four different cities as an adult over almost three decades (not Europe - Australasia). This has always been the case for me. Though of course I also have friends and family that are more far-flung, and I see relatively less of them. If you don't design your life around a car to begin with it really isn't hard (in many places). On the other hand, if you assume you'll be reliant on a car and then choose to live in an outer suburb you have no chance.
secretsatan 3y ago
Uhmmm, don’t know what to say to that, that’s the reality for me and many others. Not a few steps away, and maybe 15 mins is a bit optimistic for everything, but i have all that in max 30 mins walk
ben-schaaf 3y ago
Curious how you think people existed before cars & bikes were invented? Horses were expensive and few had one.

_hzw 3y ago

I live in a small college town in Germany. My workplace is a 15- to 20-minute uphill walk away, my family doctor is in the building next to where I live, and all my friends are within a 40-minute walking distance. The situation was almost the same when I lived in China, in a smaller town two hours' drive from Guangzhou. I've walked my whole life and don't even know how to drive. I've almost taken for granted that one should be able to walk to any place that is important to them; perhaps it's not that universal elsewhere?

mjmsmith 3y ago

You seem strangely angry about a pleasant idea.

dopidopHN 3y ago

Good city planning is a thing.

tmnvix 3y ago

Not my reality. I've lived in four different cities as an adult over almost three decades (not Europe - Australasia). This has always been the case for me. Though of course I also have friends and family that are more far-flung, and I see relatively less of them. If you don't design your life around a car to begin with it really isn't hard (in many places). On the other hand, if you assume you'll be reliant on a car and then choose to live in an outer suburb you have no chance.

secretsatan 3y ago

Uhmmm, don’t know what to say to that, that’s the reality for me and many others. Not a few steps away, and maybe 15 mins is a bit optimistic for everything, but i have all that in max 30 mins walk

ben-schaaf 3y ago

Curious how you think people existed before cars & bikes were invented? Horses were expensive and few had one.